Draco's Secret
by Prongspower
Summary: Draco and his mother face an uncertain future. Lucius is dead, and Narcissa swaps sides. Being pursued by the Death Eaters, she doesn’t know that Draco is harbouring a terrible secret. Some HBP spoilers. My first published 'fic. Please review!
1. Chapter 1

It was mid- August, and Diagon Alley was bustling with Hogwarts students pending another year at the magical school, just as it had been for centuries. However, this year was different. A deep sadness shrouded most of the young wizarding community, and even as they were thankful that Hogwarts was re-opening, it just wouldn't be the same without Dumbledore. The shops didn't break from the dreariness, as their windows still bore the Ministry posters of protection advice, and details of escaped Death Eaters. Many were bordered up, the Dark Mark above them gone from sight, but not from everyone's minds. The same applied to Dumbledore, who was not forgotten, particularly by three teenage wizards who were strolling past the recently-closed Madam Malkin's with dismal expressions on their faces. They were followed by a large man who bore the unmistakeable signs of having cried a great deal in a short distance of time.

"I thought Tonks was coming with us too, Hagrid" Harry said, confused.

"Ah well, she'll be protectin' someone else won't she?" came the reply. Hagrid followed this with a cough and began to avoid Harry's gaze as if he knew what was coming next.

"Who?" demanded Ron, although he already knew the answer.

"It'll be the Malfoy boy and his mother won't it?" Hagrid replied with a tone of forced indifference. Harry, Hermione and Ron all looked darkly at one another. Hagrid seemed to sense that they were holding back from saying something, and he stopped them all in their tracks and spun them around to face him, nearly knocking Hermione over in the process.

"Now look 'ere you lot. The Order trusts the Malfoys now. They're on our side. Wouldn't they have done somethin' by now if they weren't? Now-"

Hagrid stopped to put his dustbin-lid sized hand out in front of him to prevent any of them saying anything, as all three were looking very angry, and Ron's ears had turned bright red.

"- there's no use in tellin' me they've got it wrong, yeh've told me it all before, but Dumbledore woulda said the same as me. Yeh saw what happened Harry, That Malfoy boy might be a cocky little… thing-" Hagrid's eyes darkened and they could tell he was remembering the Hippogriff incident

"- but he's no murderer" Hagrid concluded. "He weren't never gonna 'urt Dumbledore. There's no use in makin' more enemies, we need as many people on our side as we can get. And now Lucius is gone, the Malfoys need our help anyway"

Hermione and Ron still looked thoroughly disbelieving, but turned to walk on all the same. Harry however was looking at Hagrid with an expression of incredulity and rage and finally burst out: "What happened to you, Hagrid? You'd never have believed anything like that before! You hated the Malfoys as much as any sane person!"

Hagrid shook his shaggy head and said in a low voice "Dumbledore, tha's what happened-" His voice cracked and he burst into tears. Harry couldn't catch any more of his speech. All that was audible over the hysterical sobs were things like: "Great man" and "trust"

Harry sighed and waited for the sobbing to subside. When it had, Hagrid wiped the last few tears from his beetle-eyes and ushered Harry forwards into Flourish and Blotts.

A few doors away, a harassed-looking blonde woman was flitting around the street, calling her son's name. Her voice was more high-pitched than usual, and her lip was trembling. Her eyes were darting everywhere and she was hysterical. "Where's my boy? My Draco, he was right here with me! Oh if they've got him, if my sister-"

"I'm right here, Mother"

She turned and saw her son, his white-blonde hair ruffled from the wind, closely followed by a tall woman with a heart-shaped face and bubblegum-pink hair.

"_Where were you?_" Narcissa shrieked at her son.

Draco looked his mother in the eye, but then quickly looked away again. "I was behind you Mother, don't worry. I just forgot something"

Why did his mother always have to make him feel guilty? Draco thought bitterly to himself. He felt guilty enough as it was. His mother didn't know half of what Draco had done to make him feel guilty. And she never would, if he had anything to do with it. He was eaten up by guilt, he didn't need any more.

"Come on Draco, we've just got to go to Flourish and Blott's now. Narcissa, why don't you go home? You look unwell." Tonks looked worriedly at her Aunt, peering into her lined, anxious face.

"No, no! I need to be with my son, it is dangerous!"

"Narcissa, I insist. I am an auror; I can make sure my cousin doesn't get hurt. We're only in Diagon Alley"

Narcissa finally agreed, and with one last apprehensive look at her son, disapparted with a _crack_. Tonks and Draco walked on to the bookstore a few doors down. Draco's thoughts strayed back to his mother, and the terrible secret he was keeping from her. No, Draco thought. No, it wasn't terrible. It just… happened. And in the end it was good that it happened, but he knew his Mother would not see it that way. Would she? Draco became aware after several minutes that Tonks was watching him suspiciously. She caught his eye and she hastily said "Is there something you're not telling me, Draco?"

"No" Draco replied, with a thin smile. "No, I'm fine"

But as Tonks led Draco into the shop he couldn't help thinking he was far from fine. It was only a matter of time before someone found out what had happened, and when they did, if his Mother turned her back on him, who would he have left then?


	2. Chapter 2

_**Disclaimer: (sorry, forgot to do this on the last chapter!) I do not own Harry Potter, only this plotline based on it. Yep. Now please read my story! **_

The drapes at the window were blowing in the fierce wind that surrounded Grimmauld place. Draco tossed and turned, drifting in and out of restless sleep. Every time he closed his eyes, the same images flashed through his head. A glint of silver… A flash of light… the eyes… the look in his eyes… Draco could just about suppress his terror during the daytime, but at night time there was nothing to occupy him. All he had was himself and his thoughts. He tried to shut them out, tried to make them all go away… but he couldn't. And when he finally went to sleep, he dreamed of it… That terrible night three weeks ago…

Dreams…

_He was stood in a dark room, facing him. He looked into his eyes, seeing his own reflection in the cold, icy shine._

_"Draco, you are being foolish. You have no choice but to obey me. Either that or your life will be at risk" His voice was scornful and threatening, and he continued to stare at Draco, challenging him, almost daring him to defy him._

_"But you can't do it. It's not fair!" Draco burst out before he could stop himself. He regretted it almost instantly. The eyes in front of him flashed dangerously._

_"Draco, Draco, you are not in a position to tell me what to do"_

_Draco felt the anger rising inside him. He couldn't take it anymore. He had to do it, he had to protect her. But anger is often fatal to an occlumens, and he struggled as he tried and failed to block his thoughts. The man stood before him raised his arm and-_

Draco woke with a start. He looked around the room frantically, bathed in sweat and breathing heavily. He couldn't do it… The guilt was devouring him. He had to tell someone…

The next morning Harry, Hermione and Ron were sat around the kitchen table, eating breakfast. They always had plenty to talk about, but as a familiar blond Slytherin walked through the door, they all fell silent, looking coldly upon the newcomer.

"See you in a bit" Harry muttered as he jumped up from the table, gave Draco an icy look of contempt and stalked upstairs to his room. He had only been in the room for a few minutes when Hermione joined him.

"I couldn't stay there either. Are you OK?"

"Of course I'm not OK. He's in Sirius's house!"

It still hurt Harry a great deal to talk about his Godfather. The fact that Draco Malfoy, someone who used to be a death eater, was in Sirius's house was an insult to his memory in Harry's mind.

"Actually, Harry, it's your house now. Why don't you tell the Malfoys to leave? You're perfectly within your rights to"

"Yeah well… Lupin talked to me…he kind of made me feel guilty. I mean, my Aunt and Uncle took me in when they didn't want to… but it was to save my life."

"Harry, are those your words? Or Lupin's?"

Harry smiled. They were in fact Lupin's words, but Harry felt duty-bound to follow them. After all, he was the only marauder left that Harry knew and respected. Even though he disagreed with him over whether or not to trust the Malfoys, Remus was the closest he would ever get to knowing his Father.

That night, Draco dreamt again… the same words. Over and over again, he thought of that one sentence that changed his life when he heard it.

"_He's going to kill her, Draco. He's going to kill your Mother."_


End file.
